Communications devices, in particular handheld mobile communications devices, typically have a keyboard or keypad for receiving input from a user. Such devices allow a user to be in contact through a communications network, for example the Internet, through various applications such as e-mail and web browsing. For mobile communications devices, the size of the device is typically small enough to be held in the users hand and worn on the body of the user, such as with a belt clip. Such devices may have keyboards with reduced size keys which provide for input by the user's thumbs, while the rest of the device may be physically carried by the hand and fingers. Since there is limited physical space on a mobile device, additional keys or features may not be easily accommodated on the keyboard.
One difficulty with using a keyboard, and especially a reduced size keyboard on a handheld mobile communications device, is that it is cumbersome to input special symbol characters into the device. For example, in a conventional QWERTY keyboard, the inputting of the ampersand or at-symbol (@) requires maintaining the pressing of a SHIFT key while subsequently pressing the “2” key. Such an action may be cumbersome for the user and may prove nearly impossible in some circumstances, e.g., when only one hand is free. Additionally, such an action is especially awkward when using a mobile device having reduced size keys.
Accordingly, input entry shortcuts are desirable.